The ARM version of Windows 8 might have just become the most desired version of Windows in our hearts and minds. After us talking about legacy code and backwards compatibility in Windows for years now, an Intel senior vice president, Renee James, has just stated that Windows 8 on ARM will not have any form of compatibility for legacy applications whatsoever. Update:Microsoft has responded to Intel's claims. "Intel's statements during yesterday's Intel Investor Meeting about Microsoft's plans for the next version of Windows were factually inaccurate and unfortunately misleading," the company said, "From the first demonstrations of Windows on SoC, we have been clear about our goals and have emphasized that we are at the technology demonstration stage. As such, we have no further details or information at this time."

Somehow, I doubt that Intel is privy to Microsoft's internal decision making on this. Also, while NT for ARM may need multiple different released for different ARM platforms, the whole talk about one version of ARM Windows not being able to run stuff compiled for another seems shaky: ARM Linux, after all, has binary compatability across different sub architectures, as does NetBSD/ARM. Why would NT/ARM be any different?